Valve for floor waxers



July 25, 1944. J. H. Sim-H VALVE FOR FLOOR WAXERS Filed June 21, 1941 INVENTOR,

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I ATTORNEY.

Patented July 25, 1944 UNITED) STATES rATENT OFFICE VALVE FOR FLOOR 'WAXERS Jesse H. Smith, Springfield, Mass.

Application June 2 1, 1941, Serial No. 399,166

2 Claims.

ing, and which is removably secured on the device without the use of bolts, screws, or the like. Still another object of this invention is to provide,-in a floor waxing or oilingdevice, a res.- ervoir supported on the device, a combined outlet and valve for dispensing the polishing medium from the reservoir, and simple'means for operating the valve to release the polishing medium from the reservoir. I I

These, and otherobjects'and advantages of this invention will be described and disclosed in detail in' the following specification, the accompanying drawing, and the appended claims. Broadly, this invention comprises, in combina tion, a handle, afloor plate pivotally supportedat one end of the handle, a non-absorbent floor pad secured on the floor plate, means forclamping the pad on the plate, a reservoir secured on the handle and provided with a capped filling port at the top' and an outletpipe at the b ottom,'a spring member secured on the bottom of the reservoir,

and connected to the outlet pipe, means on: the spring member forclosing the outlet pipe, and a rod supported on and guided on the handle and connected to the spring member for deflecting the spring member to move the closing means away from the outlet pipe.

A preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the floor polishing device,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken at the bottom of the reservoir,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the outlet pipe and valve spring,

Fig. 4.- is a plan view of the floor plate and polishing pad, and

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view, at enlarged scale, taken on the line 5--5 of Fi 4.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout,

A handle I is provided with a slot or'recess 3 at one end 2, and the end 2 is covered and reinforced with a ferrule 4 which is also provided in its end with an opening 5. A Y-shaped member 6 pre ferably of round wire, and shaped with a shank portion 1, is secured'on the end 2 of the handle I by positioning the shank portion 1 in the recess 3, and when thus positioned, a ,bolt 8 and nut 9 securely bind the end 2 of the handle I, the ferrule 4, and the member 6 together; The free ends of the member 6 are bent outwardly at I0, and the, ends II! are normally pivotally engaged in ears -I I which project upwardly in parallel relation, from a floor plate I2.' A pinching action on the member 6 will release the ends II) from the ears II, therebydisconnecting the floor plate I2 from the handle I. This construction permits the handle, I to be lowered into a position approximately parallel to the plane of the plate I2, sov that the plate I2 and its .polishing pad may be pushed under furni tureor other objects having alow clearance above the fioor.- v

Thefloor plate -I2 is formed with side flanges I3, each of which vflanges I3 is providedjwith one or more detents I4 projecting inwardly there-. from. The floor plate. I2 is also formed with ears I5 projecting upwardly therefrom, similar to the ears II, and located adjacent the ends IBof the plate I2. The 'ears' I5 are pierced-at 'I'I to pivotally receive'ends I8 oftoggle bars I9. A floor-'pa'd 20, formed of sheared'plush lwith-a' rubberized backing fabric' 2l, is removably 'se' cured onthe floor plate I2 by cooperation-of the toggle bars I9an d dte'ifitsll, as best shown in'Fig. 5. The pad 20 is easily and quickly removed, for cleaning or washing, and as easily replaced, by manipulation of the toggle bars I9.

The use of a sheared plush pad with a rubberized backing fabric for a floor waxing or polishing device results in a substantial saving in waxing or polishing material, particularly in liquid form, relative to devices now known to be available. Th pad is non-absorbent, and experiments have shown that an average size floor may be completely waxed, using this pad, with an amount of wax which would be absorbed by the pads now known to be in use. The sheared plush, with its multitude of fibers on end, as presented to the floor surface, provided a high polish with a minimum of rubbing, and without streaking. The fibers of the plush act like the bristles of a brush to distribute the polishing medium, such as liquid wax, evenly and uniformly over the surface to which the polishing medium is applied.

A reservoir 22, preferably, but not necessarily, cylindrical, with recessed top and bottom walls 23 and 24, respectively, is secured on the handle I by means of nuts 25 and bolts 26, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The top wall 23 is provided with a threaded extension or spout 2'! on which a threaded closure cap 28 is removably secured. The spout 21 is of, large diameter, relative tothe top of the reservoir 22, to provide for ease in filling the reservoir. The bottom wall 24 is formed with a raised, circular bead 29 and a central opening 30. The discharge pipe and closure spring for the reservoir 22 are made in a unit to simplify assembly, as best shown in Fig. 3. A stiff spring member 3|, preferably made from strip steel, is formed with an upper, horizontal leg 32, a hinge loop 33 at one end of the leg 32, a substantially vertical arm 34 continuing from the loop 33, and a lower, substantially horizontal leg 35, the leg 35 being bent at 36 and returned upon itself at 31, the portion 31 being extended beyond the arm 34 to provide a lever portion 38.

The lever extension 38 is channel-shaped, and is provided with a notch 39 and opening 46 for receiving a hooked end 4| of an operating rod 42. The rod 42 is slidably supported and guided on thehandle l by eyelets or screw-eyes 43, and is formed at;its upper end with a finger loop or coil 44.

The upper leg 32 of the spring 3| is provided, adjacent the end (opposite the hinge loop 33, with an opening 45, in which is secured by means of a press or force fit a tube or pipe 46. The tube 46 is formed with a shoulder 41 which engages the underside of the leg 32. A

, In assembling the pipe and spring on the reservoir 22, a resilient washer 48 is placed over the end of the pipe 46, as shown in Fig. 3; this end is then inserted in the opening 30 in the bottom wall 24 of the reservoir 22; a metallic washer 49 is placed over the pipe 46 on the inside of the wall 24, and the end 58 of the pipe 46 is headed or riveted Over on the washer 49,'as shown in Fig. '2. Thus the discharge pipe and spring are rigidly and permanently secured on the reservoir 22, with the shoulder 4'! and washers 48 and 49 cooperating to provide a leak-proof joint. This construction results in an important feature of the invention. The inside bottom of the reservoir 22v is substantially flush. Thus, the contents ofjthe reservoir may :be completely exhausted, through the pipe 46, before refilling. Thereisno'opportunity for an accumulation of residue inthe bottom of, the-reservoir, and the reservoir may be quickly and easily cleaned, thus maintaining a sanitary condition. A resilient sleeve 5|, of rubber or other suitable material, is forced over the ends of the portions 35 and 3! of the spring 3|, and acts as a stopper for the discharge end of the pipe 46.

To release the polishing medium, such as liquid wax, or the like, from the reservoir 22, the rod 42 is pulled upwardly, this action causing the lever portion 38 of the spring 3| to pivot on the end of the vertical portion 34 as a fulcrum and pulling the portions 35 and 31 and the sleeve 5| away from the discharge end 52 of the pipe 46 to permit the polishing medium to flow therefrom.

" Release of the rod 42 permits the spring 3| to return to its normal position closing the pipe 46. The hinge loop 33 of the spring 3| rests against the reinforcing bead 29, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby providing a firm base for the action of the spring 3| and rod 42. The flow of liquid from the pipe 46 is adequately controlled to suit conditions by manipulation of the fill cap 28, which controls the flow of air entering the reservoir 22. As the cap is unscrewed, the flow of air will increase, thereby permitting an increased flow of polishing medium from the pipe 46.

What I claim is:

1. A valve for dispensing devices comprising a discharge spout, a spring closure member for said spout formed with a leg perpendicular to the axis of said spout and secured on said spout, a hinge. loop at the end of said leg remote from said spout, a second leg substantially parallel to and spaced from said first named leg and overlapping the end of said spout, a portion connecting said hinge loop and said second leg, said second leg being bent upon itself with the bent portion extending beyond said connecting portion and said hinge loop, a resilient pad on said second leg and engaging the discharge end of said spout, and means for manipulating said extended portion to deflect said second leg away from the discharge end of said spout.

2. A valve for dispensing devices comprising a substantially U-shaped spring member having two substantially parallel leg members and a section connecting said leg members, a discharge pipe secured in one of said leg members with an end of said pipe normally engaging the other of said leg members, said other leg member being provided with a lever portion extending beyond said connecting section in a direction opposite to said leg members, whereby movement of said lever portion toward said first named leg member will deflect said other leg member away from the end of saidpipe.

JESSE H. SMITH. 

